


Rock Bottom

by spaceprincessem



Category: Titans (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Found Family, Kory being vulnerable and Dick comforting her, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-21 01:14:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21291287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceprincessem/pseuds/spaceprincessem
Summary: A person could only take so much before they began to break. Even if that person was a warrior princess from a different planet. Kory tries to pick up the pieces after the Titans split and her brush with Blackfire, but when it all comes to be too much, she finds comfort in her found family. Especially from the one and only Dick Grayson.Set immediately after s2ep9 "Atonement"
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Koriand’r
Comments: 7
Kudos: 63





	Rock Bottom

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I should preface this with this is written with the idea that Jericho is not in Dick. Not that I don't think it's a good theory, cause I can see it, but for the sake of the story we're just going to pretend that Dick just spiraled.

“I didn’t know who else to call.”

Kory sighed heavily, her phone still pressed against her ear, Gar’s voice breaking on the other line. She could already feel her head pounding and she rubbed her temple as she tried to gather her thoughts. The last few hours had been hell and it only seemed to be getting worse.

“It’s okay, Gar,” Kory said reassuringly, glad her voice sounded calmer than she felt, “we’re going to fix this.”

She could hear Gar go over the story again, but now he was talking a little bit slower, and he was breathing in between sentences. She knew Dick was going through something, but it was unlike him to ignore Gar’s calls, even in the midst of a spiral. Now she was worried something had happened to him, but that was another problem for later. 

“Pull up as much footage as you can.” Kory said as she moved the gas pump back into place before getting in her car, pulling out at top speed. “I’m picking up Rachel and we can bring Conner back.”

“Rachel?” Gar asked. “I thought she left with Donna.”

“Apparently, she changed her mind.” Kory explained. Moments before Gar called, Rachel had reached out to her. She said she had been so upset with Dick that she just needed to get out, but as soon as she had, she regretted it.

“I’m sorry, Kory.” Gar said after a moment.

“You’re owning up to your mistakes,” Kory said with a small smile, “and that’s more than some of the adults have done recently. Let’s get Conner then we’ll figure out where Dick went.”

“On it.” Gar said, his nerves calming and his hope rising. Kory was one of the only people in the tower that hadn’t walked out because they were angry at Dick. He knew she had her own things to take care of and that she was coming back.

Kory hung up the phone and quickly scrolled to her contacts. Her finger hovered over Dick’s name for a moment. If he hadn’t answered for Gar then he probably wouldn’t answer for her, but she figured she should try anyway. His phone went straight to voicemail and Kory bit down on her lip, trying not to panic. She was usually good at controlling her emotions, but everything that had happened with Blackfire and Faddei had her spiraling. Helping Gar and Rachel was a good distraction from her problems, something small to focus on since she had no idea how to even tackle her problems back home. They were her family and she needed them as much as they needed her. So, she drove as fast as she could. She met Rachel and with Gar’s help they found Conner.

“You look familiar.” Conner said as he shrunk back against the wall of the alleyway.

“We’re friends of Gar.” Rachel said from Kory’s side. “And we helped cure you.”

Conner looked from Rachel to Kory, his lips turning up in the corners ever so slightly. “You were the fire.”

“Something like that.” Kory responded with a small smirk. “We’ll get you back to the tower, you can trust us.”

“Is Gar okay?” Conner asked worriedly. 

“He’s okay.” Kory said with a nod of her. “Worried about you.”

“I was just trying to help.” Conner said, frowning.

“I know.” Kory said. “Come on, let’s go home.”

Gar was hugging her as soon as she was off of the elevator and she wrapped her arms around him. He laid his head against her chest, releasing a sigh, his body relaxing. Kory ran her hands through his green hair, finding comfort in being reunited with her dysfunctional family.

“Someone else wants to say hello.” Kory said as Gar finally released her. She stepped to the side where Rachel and Conner were waiting just behind her.

“Conner,” Gar said as he moved forward, “I am so sorry. What I did, leaving you, was so uncool.”

“It’s okay, Gar.” Conner said, placing a strong, yet comforting hand on the changelings shoulder. “I should have waited before jumping into action.”

Kory watched as relief passed over Gar’s face as he moved from Conner to Rachel, the pair hugging and smiling for what seemed like the first time in weeks. That was three problems solved, now they needed to figure out where Dick was.

“Gar,” She asked as they moved into the living room, “have you heard from Dick yet?”

Gar’s smile fell into a frown. “No, but I did find him…”

“Arrested?” Kory said through gritted as she paced in front of the video feed of Dick being taken into custody in an airport. “What the hell was he thinking?”

“He’s spiraling.” Gar said as he turned in the chair, away from the monitors. “I think he’s trying to atone for what he feels like he did wrong.”

“So,” Rachel asked from next to Gar, her arms crossed over her chest, “what do we do now?”

“I could call Bruce.” Gar suggested. “Dick did leave his number, but he didn’t answer when I called about Conner.”

Kory continued to pace, her hand resting thoughtfully against her chin. She knew calling Bruce would only make things worse, especially, considering Dick’s conflicted feelings with his old mentor. She knew asking Donna, Dawn, and Hank were out of the question. They didn’t want to help Dick and she didn’t really want them around anyway. Everyone needed time to get over themselves and heal from the pain they had all caused each other. She felt like her head had never stopped pounding since Gar had called her, but she didn’t linger on it. She couldn’t break down, not yet.

“No,” She finally said as she looked at the two teens, “Bruce Wayne isn’t the only one with a secure amount of funds.”

-

Kory stood, waiting, hands on her hips as she watched Dick Grayson round the corner, his bag slung over his shoulder. She was impatient to get back to the kids, who were already reluctant to have her leave again, but she knew she needed to get Dick on her own. If he was hitting rock bottom then she knew he didn’t want anyone else to see. Dick only looked at her for a moment before he paused in his step, his shoulders sagging slightly. He looked just as exhausted as she felt, but she felt relieved seeing him alive, unharmed.

“Anyone else with you?” He asked, his voice low.

“Just me.” She responded, her voice soft, nonjudgmental. Didn’t he understand that she was going to come back? She wasn’t leaving him because of his dark secret and neither had Gar. When would Dick Grayson understand that he wasn’t alone in all of this?

“Kory,” Dick murmured, “I keep trying to fix things and it just makes it worse.”

Kory moved closer to him, her hands gripping his arms firmly, but gently. “You do not get to give up, Dick Grayson, not yet.”

He looked up at her, his eyes softening. When she had started to take her leave he could feel his heartbreaking, afraid she was running away from what he had done too. When she told him it was just to fix up a loose end it still hurt, but he knew she needed to take care of herself and that his problems were his own. His only solace was that it wasn’t because she hated him or thought him terrible and that was enough for Dick. He managed to give her a small smile.

“Thank you, Kory.” He said.

She returned it before pulling him into a tight embrace. Dick only hesitated for a second before he hugged her tighter, his arms coming across her back, his eyes closing in contentment. In a strange, but comforting way, it felt like home for both of them. Their relationship was suspended in a constant state of unknown, never having the time or the right moment to really grasp what they wanted from each other. In some ways they understood each other better than anyone else ever had and maybe that’s why they always inevitably fell back together. Kory held on a little harder, all of her anger and sadness threatening to burst forth as her calm demeanor melted into vulnerability. Dick’s fingers pressed into her back, his head nuzzling into her neck, not in the way of “I need you”, but in response to her movements. It was his way of understanding that she wasn’t okay either and saying, “I’m here for you too.”

When they returned to the tower Dick had to explain himself to Rachel, but soon they were sitting around the kitchen counter, laughing and eating pizza together. There was still so much to figure out, but for a moment, they spent it together. After dinner Kory excused herself to shower while Conner, Gar, and Rachel all raced to the television to play video games together. The hot water was a blessing and when she stepped inside she only had a few quiet moments before all of her feelings spilled out of her like a flood river. Her parents were dead. Faddei was dead. Her planet was in danger and her sister was coming for her. She had no back up, no help, and no idea what to do. The Titans were already suffering so much, how could she possibly ask them to fight a war that was not theirs? She had to take gasping breaths to steady herself, but she didn’t stop herself from feeling everything. She knew the dangers of keeping everything bottled inside. When she got out of the shower she made sure to keep clear of the living room, she didn’t need Rachel to pick up on how distraught she was. She moved to her room, throwing on a hoodie she stole from Dick’s closet. A knock on her door nearly made her jump.

“Kory?” Dick asked when she turned to face him. His heart dropped in his stomach when he realized she had been crying. He immediately moved towards her, reaching a hand out. “Are you okay?” He laid it on her cheek, his thumb running over her skin. “Talk to me.”

Kory pressed her lips together as she shook her head, tears springing to her eyes. She thought she had let it all go, because crying wouldn’t solve her problems now. She needed to be smart. She needed a plan. She had so many people who were counting on her that she couldn’t let them down. The look of concern on Dick’s face tore at her heart and her hand came up to grip the one that was holding on to her. 

“Dick…” She hadn’t meant to sound so weak, so broken, but he had been open with her, she knew she could do the same with him.

“Talk to me.” Dick said again, his voice like a whisper. The only times he had ever seen her so distraught were in the asylum and when she had attacked Rachel.

“I don’t want to burden you-“ She started.

“Kory,” Dick said, cutting her off, “let me help you, let me be here for you like you were for me.”

His voice was steady, assured, like the Dick Grayson she knew months ago. So she confessed her fears. She told him about her parents, her sister, Faddei, and the pain she felt being torn between the people she loved on Earth and her duty to Tameran as its princess. Dick listened, without questions, without interruptions, all while holding on to her. When she was done she felt a small weight lift off her chest.

“Don’t we make an interesting pair?” Dick said after a moment with a sad smile as he wiped a fallen tear away from her cheek. He was amazed she had held everything in for so long, but he knew what keeping things like that locked up did to a person. He also knew what it was like dealing with those feelings all alone. Her problems greatly outweighed their own and yet she was still here, by their side, helping them.

“It could be worse.” She said as she leaned into his touch.

“Whatever you need, we’ll help you anyway we can.” Dick said more seriously, catching her eye. 

Kory shook her head. “It’s not your problem.”

“You’re a Titan and we’re a team.” Dick stated. “We’re in this together.”

“Together?” Kory asked as she rested her forehead against his. Despite everything that had happened she missed this closeness with him.

“Together.” Dick repeated before he pulled her into a long awaited kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's short, but I wanted to do something since that episode had me feeling some kind of way. Titans be giving us dickkory crumbs, but I'll take them. What we really need now is Dick returning some of the love and being there for Kory as she's starting to crumble. Anna and Brenton (and Ryan) killed it this episode. I mean Dick's face when he thought Kory was leaving him too?????? Rip my heart out jeez. They're really giving us the angsty slow burn, huh? Anyway, let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading!


End file.
